From the start, the selection of the site of the Falcons new Billion Dollar stadium has been a political process. Anyone that has been in Atlanta for more than a few years knows that we have our own brand of southern politics. Here, Kasim Reed has made a concerted effort to insert himself in the process and impose his will that the stadium be built on the smallish "South Site," despite some obvious shortcomings.

Critics have characterized this process as a
"land grab" for the mayor's own benefit and his interest in creating momentum for the long stalled Multi-Modal Train/Bust station.

Despite the fact that this questionable project has been on the minds of Atlanta politicians for over 20 years, Reed is insistent.

Conversely, although it is .5 miles away from the Dome MARTA station,
many Atlanta residents (and Falcons' fans) claim the North Site to be superior in every way since it will be easier to get to with more tailgating space and a better view
if the city.

More, it is only 500 yards from the Aquarium and
Centennial Olympic Park.The development
of that part of the city has much greater potential.

For his part, Arthur Blank seems hesitant to wade into this political morass. At a forum Wednesday morning, Blank was
non-committal when asked if he would contribute to the purchase of Mount
Vernon Baptist Church to enable construction of the new stadium on the
"South Site" along Martin Luther King Drive.

Blank said the decision on where the stadium could be located - the
South Site more preferred by the city and the Falcons, or the North Site
along Ivan Allen Boulevard - should be made within the next couple of
weeks.

But Denver Broncos earned the respect they deserve as Peyton Manning
ruthlessly teared down the Baltimore Ravens' defense in a dominant win
at M&T Bank Stadium. With New England Patriots suffering a 41-34
loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, Denver now has a clear
path to a first-round bye an AFC No.1 or 2 playoff seed.

Green
Bay Packers looked very much like the 2010 championship team during a
21-13 victory over Chicago, their eighth win in the past nine games and
clinching the NFC North. Texans clinch AFC South with 29-17 win over Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts.

Here's the NFL Power Rankings Week 16:1. Denver Broncos 11-3 The
AFC West champions snagged their 9th consecutive win at the expense of
routing the Ravens. The Broncos, who can still capture the top seed in
the conference, finish with home games against Cleveland and Kansas
City. Playoff picture week 16: AFC No.1 seed and a bye week rest.
Ranking 2 to 1

2. Atlanta Falcons 12-2 Falcons turned
in their most well-rounded performance of the season with the playoffs
approaching with 34-0 rout over the defending Super Bowl champ Giants.
Playoff picture week 16: NFC No.1 seed with a bye week rest.

3. Houston Texans 12-2 The
Texans clinched the division for the second straight year with a 29-17
victory over Indianapolis. Texans playoff picture would be AFC No.1 and 2
seed.

4. San Francisco 49ers 10-3-1
The red and gold clinch playoff spot by trouncing the New England
Patriots at their home turf! The 49ers own at least a wild-card spot and
play at Seattle next week with a chance to win the NFC West. A loss
would bring the division race down to the final weekend. Playoff picture
week 16: NFC playoff second seed which give them a bye week rest. 5. Green Bay Packers 10-4 Green Bay
clinched its second straight NFC North title with a 21-13 victory over
the archrival Chicago Bears on Sunday. Playoff picture week 16: NFC
playoff second seed and bye week rest Ranking 6 to 5

6. New England Patriots 10-4 AFC East champion New England have seen their seven in a row game ended by 49ers. Tom Brady
being MVP front-runner was stained after failing a 28-point comeback.
Playoff picture week 16: AFC playoff third or fourth seed.

7. Seattle Seahawks 9-5 Seahawks playoff push
continues running to win the NFC West but 49ers wins Sunday over
Patriots. They return home on Week 16 to host division-leading San
Francisco 49ers in what has become a key showdown. Seahawks playoff
picture could be at least NFC Wild card or No.3 seed. Ranking 10 to 7

8. Washington Redskins 8-6
Without Robert Griffin III who is hurt, backup rookie QB Kirk Cousins
kept Washington's winning streak and playoff hopes intact. Redskins
target NFC East title by winning their last two games at Philadelphia
and hosting Dallas. Ranking 12 to 8

9. Indianapolis Colts 9-5
The Colts had won three straight games and needed a win to clinch a
playoff berth but Andrew Luck couldn't do much against the inspired
Houston defense. AFC wildcard is an option with Week 16 and 17 at Kansas
City then Houston. But Colts exceeded already all expectation year
after going 2-14 in 2011.

10. New York Giants 8-6 Giants
loss to Falcons dropped them into a first-place tie with Washington and
Dallas in the NFC East. Their last two games against Baltimore and
Philadelphia is a must win. Playoff picture week 16: NFC East title and
Wildcard. Ranking 7 to 10

11. Baltimore Ravens 9-5
Ravens lost to the Broncos, their third straight. Despite the defeat,
the Ravens qualified for the playoffs when Pittsburgh lost to Dallas on
Sunday night. That gave the Ravens a wild-card berth, but they hope to
enter the postseason as division champions with tough NY Giants and
Bengals on Week 16 and 17 respectively. Playoff picture on week 16 could
be AFC No.3 or 4 seed. Ranking 8 to 11

12. Dallas Cowboys 8-6
Cowboys win push them into a three-way tie for first place in the crazy
interesting NFC East with the Giants and Redskins with two games left
in the season in a must win versus New Orleans and Washington. Playoff
picture week 16: NFC East title that could give them third seed or wild
card. Ranking 13 to 12

13. Cinncinati Bengals 8-6
These Bengals makes AFC North interesting, with Steelers and Ravens
loss they are on wild card and fighting for division title if they can
beat this two division rivals in their last two games.

15. Chicago Bears 8-6
Bears free fall continues with third straight loss. Chicago lost some
ground in the race for the last wild-card spot in NFC. Ranking 11 to 15

16. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-7
The Steelers lost for the fourth time in five games and trail AFC North
rival Cincinnati by a game for the second wild card spot on playoff
picture. Steelers host the Bengals in a must win next week then
Cleveland after. Ranking 15 to 16

17. New York Jets 6-7 The Jets plays the Titans on Monday Night Football, If Tim Tebow starts and win that could make Rex Ryan more bad.

18. St. Louis Rams 6-7-1
Rams three wins in a row was snapped by the Vikings so as seriously
damaging their postseason hopes. Rams playoff picture is in shambles.

19. New Orleans Saints 6-8
Saints recorded their first shutout in 17 years in a 41-0 rout of Tampa
Bay on Sunday, and spoiling the Buccaneers playoff hopes. Ranking 22 to
19

20. Miami Dolphins 6-8 Dolphins ranked
near the bottom of the league in points and yards, had a season-high 26
first downs and won for only the second time in the past seven games.

21. Cleveland Browns 5-9
Cleveland's three-game winning streak was snapped by Redskins together
with their playoff hope as well. Browns is on the right track something
they can build on for next season.

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-8 Their
loss to the Eagles proved to be painful. Saints 41-0 rout of Tampa Bay
extend the Buccaneers' losing streak to four games. The Bucs are out of
playoff picture. Ranking 18 to 22

23. Arizona Cardinals 5-9 Arizona's first victory in 2 1/2 months came a week after laying an egg on 58-0 embarassing loss in Seattle.

26. San Diego Chargers 5-9
Clinched not the playoff but their first losing season since 2003, when
they were an NFL-worst 4-12. Coach Norv Turner is expected to be fired
at season's end, most likely along with general manager A.J. Smith.
Ranking 23 to 26

27. Carolina Panthers 5-9 Carolina won consecutive games for the first time but too bad it happens in December.

28. Detroit Lions 4-10
For the Lions that made the playoffs a year ago and missing this year
with Matthew Strafford, Megatron Calvin Johnson and the dirtiest, cheapest player in the NFL DT
Ndamukong Suh are just maddening. Ranking 25 to 28

29. Oakland Raiders 4-10 Raiders finally ended up on the winning end. If only they could play the Kansas City Chiefs more often. Ranking 30 to 29

30. Philadelphia Eagles 4-10
Reid led the Eagles to nine playoff appearances, six division titles
and five NFC championship games in his first 13 years. But the Eagles
will miss the playoffs for the second straight year and owner Jeffrey
Lurie already said 8-8 would be ''unacceptable.'' Bye Andy. Ranking 27
to 30

31. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-12 QB Chad
Henne is not Superhero after all. The Jaguars tied the franchise record
for losses, set in their inaugural 1995 season.

32. Kansas City Chiefs 2-12
Chief's only win since September came the day after linebacker Javon
Belcher killed his girlfriend before committing suicide at the team's
practice facility. Now they are running for the 2013 No. 1 overall NFL
draft pick.

Julio Jones prefers low profile for Falcons

"I've been like this my whole life,'' Jones said Friday. "This is the way I am.''

Jones' transformation into a professional receiver with the Atlanta
Falcons started at Alabama, where Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban enforced
a businesslike approach to practice and film study.

But Jones said he was soft-spoken long before he signed a scholarship at Alabama.

Growing up in the small town of Foley, Ala. - about 25 miles
southeast of Mobile and 10 miles from the Gulf of Mexico - Jones learned
at an early age that performance meant far more to him than words.

"You let your play do the talking out there on the field, man,''
Jones said. "I'm not going to say anything negative about the next man
I'm going against, you know? I'm just going to go out there and give it
my all for 60 minutes.''

When the Atlanta Falcons (11-2) host the New York Giants (8-5) on
Sunday, Jones could move into a bigger role and become quarterback Matt
Ryan's top target.

Roddy White, the team's leading receiver, has a sore right knee and did not practice this week.
If Jones becomes Ryan's primary option, the second-year wideout says
he is prepared for the challenge. But don't expect Jones to pound his
chest or do some fancy dance in the end zone.

"I just go out there and try to perform and be consistent for this
organization,'' Jones said. "Especially being in the NFL, it's all about
consistency and working hard. Everybody is athletic here in the NFL.
It's all about continuing to try to get better.''

As the NFL's sixth overall draft pick last year, Jones was scrutinized as a golden child of sorts.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff sent Atlanta's No. 27 spot
in the first round to Cleveland and gave the Browns a second- and
fourth-round pick in 2011 and a first- and fourth-round spot this year
to acquire the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Jones.

Despite missing three games last season with hamstring injuries,
Jones averaged 17.8 yards and scored eight touchdowns on 54 catches.

Through as many games this year - 13 - Jones already has 63 catches
for a 15.8 average and seven touchdowns - but the statistics mean very
little to him in the context of his team's success.

"It's never affected me,'' Jones said. "I just go out there and play.
I told you before. I can't go out there and be Superman, you know? They
traded up to get me and everything because they see the potential.''
The 23-year-old Jones even decided during the offseason to give
himself a new look, too, cutting off his beloved dreadlocks and donating
the effort to "Locks of Love,'' a national cancer charity.

The haircut, he soon believed, better fit his straight-man persona.
Plus, Jones said he wanted no part of trying to match the outspoken
White, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who rarely lets his swagger down
in conversation.

"What I appreciate about Julio is that he listens and tries to get
better every day,'' Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. "He
listens to what (receivers coach) Terry (Robiskie) tells him, and I
think Julio is influenced by Roddy and Matt, two really good role models
that are teammates, and what those guys say to him. I think Julio has
become a much more consistent player throughout this year.

When he's
healthy, he's a guy that you think can break the game open at any
time.''
Jones appreciates, though, how the fun-loving White showed him how to
succeed on the field without letting the job become tedious.

It has helped, too, having 16th-year tight end Tony Gonzalez, the NFL's No. 2 career-leaving receiver, as a teammate.

"Maybe on a lot of teams, if you're the No. 1 guy, you could be bored
with it, you know?'' Jones said.

"But here you've got all these guys to
keep you up, and they tell you to keep pushing. Especially coming from a
Hall of Fame tight end like Tony - he's been in the game so long and he
keeps doing it.''
Jones still marvels at how hard the 36-year-old Gonzalez works in practice.
"It shows you the way not to be bored out there and keep getting better,'' he said. "Catch balls, catch balls. Muscle memory.''

Giants vs. Falcons: Atlanta Finally Shows the NFL How Good It Can Be

December 16, 2012

Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon responded with one word when asked if Sunday’s 34-0 win was a little bit of payback from last year’s 24-2 playoff loss.

“Zero,” said Weatherspoon, without the hint of a smile.

Weatherspoonwasn’t saying there were no feelings of one-upmanship. He was inferring the exact opposite and pointing to Sunday’s scoreboard.

“It wasn’t about the win,” said the team’s weakside linebacker once the game was safe in the fourth quarter. “It was about keeping that zero up there.”

Keeping that zero on the scoreboard wasn’t the only moral victory of Sunday’s win. The Falcons showed the rest of the league just how good they could play.

Quarterback Matt Ryan
was 23-for-28 with 270 yards and three touchdowns. He also broke his
own franchise record for passing yards in a season and is now at 4,202.

The running back corps—Michael Turner, Jason Snelling and Jacquizz
Rodgers—combined for 126 yards on the ground and helped the offense
open up passing lanes because of its effectiveness running the football.

But the defense was the big story.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning
was held to just 161 yards and picked off twice. His quarterback rating
was 38.9. His first pass of the game was bobbled, then taken out of the
air by cornerback Asante Samuel.

“This team thrives off of
momentum,” said Samuel. “I just used my God-given ability to make plays
for my team and put the offense in the best position to score. This was
our best game we’ve put together so far.”

Atlanta’s
defense held the Giants to just a 40 percent success rate on third
downs and stopped New York three times on short-yardage fourth-down
plays.

Weatherspoon said after
the game that he was surprised Giants head coach Tom Coughlin continued
to attempt to go for it on 4th-and-short. He said he would have taken
the points in those situations because every time the Falcons stopped
them on fourth down it helped build momentum.

“It’s like they were saying ‘We’re better than you,’” said Weatherspoon.

On Sunday the Giants were not even close to being better than the Falcons.

In
fact, this is as close to playing like a 12-2 team as the Falcons have
played all year. This 34-point shellacking of the Giants should put the
rest of the NFL on notice.

If the Falcons play like this in the playoffs, no one will be able beat them.